Barron ready to take over for injured Pace

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alex Barron has always preferred left tackle to the right side. Orlando Pace’s season-ending shoulder injury gives the St. Louis Rams’ former first-round pick the chance to play there.

Coach Scott Linehan wasn’t ready on Wednesday to name a new starting line that could leave only two opening-day starters at their original positions, preferring to wait a few more days. But Barron got the bulk of the snaps at left tackle in practice in preparation for Sunday’s game against the 49ers, and the other options are far less-heralded players.

“Alex has had a fine offseason and camp at right tackle, and just his improvement in play makes me feel very confident that if he does play the left side for us, he’s going to do a great job,” Linehan said. “We worked him quite a bit over there and he looked pretty good.”

Linehan said earlier in the week that he would stick with whatever changes were made for the long haul. So Barron is preparing for the move.

“There’s a lot of changes that need to be made as far as technique and stance,” Barron said. “Over the next couple of days and the next few weeks, I’m just going to try to tighten it up as fast as I can.”

Guard Richie Incognito is likely out again with a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for the opener. He was held out on Wednesday after aggravating the injury late last week.

Before the Rams closed practice about a half-hour into Wednesday’s workout, the lineup included Barron and training camp pickup Milford Brown at left and right tackle, with Claude Terrell, who started 10 games as a rookie in 2005 but missed all last year with a wrist injury, at one of the guards.

Brown and Terrell both weigh 330 pounds, giving the Rams potential for a powerful right side.

Tackle Adam Goldberg, who stepped in for Pace in the opener, is likely the backup at both tackle spots.

Center Brett Romberg and guard Mark Setterstrom, both in their first full year as starters, were the only players in their original spots. Juggling or not, Romberg said there would be no excuses.

“I’m obviously sad for Orlando, to end another year like this, but we’ve got to keep going,” Romberg said. “Another guy steps in. We’re going to definitely do our best.”

Barron’s switch comes with him finally appearing more comfortable on the right side. In his first two years, he was the NFL’s most penalized player with a penchant for false starts. Now he’s on a crash of course of relearning the game from the left side — primarily his college position at Miami.

At left tackle, Barron will be responsible for protecting quarterback Marc Bulger’s blind side. But right tackle wasn’t the rocking chair, either, with Barron facing the Panthers’ Julius Peppers in the opener, the Giants’ Michael Strahan over the years and teammate Leonard Little on a daily basis in practice.

“Anywhere on the line has its responsibilities,” Barron said. “The whole line has responsibilities. On third down, everybody is a pass rusher.”

Terrell said he took all the snaps at right guard on Wednesday. Out of Linehan’s doghouse, he was anticipating hearing his name called at home for the first time in his career during lineup introductions.

During Terrell’s rookie year, the players came out en masse after Joe Vitt stepped in as interim coach while Mike Martz was sidelined with a heart ailment.

“I’ve been waiting to be introduced since my rookie year,” Terrell said. “If that happens on Sunday, I’m going to have chills.”

Brown is primarily a guard, with very little experience and no career starts at tackle.

“They haven’t told me anything,” Brown said. “We’ve just been shuffling the line a little bit. We’re trying to find five that match up pretty well.”